​Hanoi suggests collecting fees in traffic jam hotpots

Authorities in Hanoi have proposed the collection of fees from vehicles that enter frequently congested areas across the capital, as part of the efforts to alleviate traffic jams.

Vu Van Vien, director of the municipal Department of Transport, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the agency had submitted a document to the Ministry of Transport regarding the proposal.

Vehicles that enter a congested zone will be required to pay a fee, which is aimed at easing gridlock in the capital city, Vien said.

“The plan has been listed in Resolution No. 4 on reducing traffic congestion and environmental pollution, which was previously approved by the Hanoi People’s Council in July 2017,” the official elaborated.

However, this type of fee has not been included in the current law, thus the transport ministry has been asked to review the plan and pass it to the central government and National Assembly for official approval, he continued.

Traffic congestion in Hanoi. Photo: Tuoi Tre

This solution is considered necessary given the increasingly serious congestion across the city as well as the current conditions of infrastructure, Vien stressed.

According to an official from the Ministry of Transport, such a measure has been applied in many countries.

It can also be carried out across Vietnam as long as there is a specific law that supports the fee collection, he added.

The ministry will review the plan and gather feedback from relevant agencies before submitting it to the government and legislative body, the official stated.

Aside from the proposition, authorities in Hanoi are also set to implement additional measures, including adjusting parking fees depending on certain times and locations, and encouraging local schools to carry their students by shuttle bus.

Many sewers along the streets in Ho Chi Minh City have their entrances blocked by garbage on a regular basis, negatively impacting urban esthetics and the environment while helping cause serious flooding.

Despite the sweltering weather in Hanoi these days, many young people still flock to lotus ponds surrounding the capital city’s iconic Ho Tay (West Lake) to pose for Instgram-ready photos with a sea of blooming flowers.